📡Guardians of Hong Kong
9.58K subscribers
21.6K photos
1.88K videos
27 files
9.99K links
We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
Facebook: http://bit.ly/BeWaterHongKong
Instagram: @guardiansofhk
Website: https://guardiansofhk.com/
Download Telegram
Japan calls on Australia to lead resistance to China’s regional sway

Japan’s Defence Minister has warned China is trying to change the status quo in the region by force and has called on Australia and other allies to step up to ensure Beijing’s dominance is not inevitable.

In some of his strongest comments on the deteriorating security situation across the Indo-Pacific, Nobuo Kishi said the shifting power balance between the US and China “has become very conspicuous” while a military battle over Taiwan had “skewed greatly in favour of China”.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald #Aug12

https://t.co/yiASeRaq1c

#Japan #Australia #China #Taiwan
Former US admiral says China 'their own worst enemy' as tensions rise in South China Sea

The Olympics, the fall of Kabul and the damage wrought by Delta have all occupied the world's focus in the past few months.

But in the waters to Australia's north, foreign navies have been gathering and critical diplomatic deals have been done. 
All to ensure China does not control the South China Sea through direct force or by intimidation.

I think that it behooves all of us who are like-minded countries, who support the idea of a free and open Indo-Pacific," former US Indo-Pacific Commander and former US ambassador to South Korea, retired Admiral Harry Harris, told 7.30.

"We should be concerned about China's aggressive actions, not only in the South China Sea, but elsewhere."

Source: ABC #Sep13

#US #China #Australia #SouthChinaSea

https://t.co/rFt6baVgQt
The agreement between the US, UK and Australia strengthens old ties as a new era unfolds in the Indo-Pacific region

No one – least of all Beijing – believes the denials. The new defence pact between the US, UK and Australia is unmistakably aimed at containing China. The question is how substantive it will prove to be. The initial project – Canberra’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, with Washington and London’s help – is prompted in part by growing Australian frustration over its troubled contract for French-made vessels. But it opens the way for greater military cooperation and is to be underpinned by wide-ranging collaboration on areas such as cyber-security, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which China is pursuing intensively.

Source: The Guardian #Sep16

https://t.co/iydDdG7n3X

#US #UK #Australia #China
China warns US-UK-Australia pact could ‘hurt their own interests’

China has told the US, the UK and Australia to abandon their “cold war” mentality or risk harming their own interests after the three countries unveiled a new defence cooperation pact.

The trilateral security partnership, named Aukus, was announced on Thursday by the three nations’ leaders via video link, and will include an 18-month plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

It drew strong political reaction domestically in Australia and the UK, and from France, whose existing $90bn (£65bn) submarine contract with Australia has now come to an abrupt end.

Source: The Guardian #Sep16

https://t.co/BNrgTIE3rU

#China #US #UK #ColdWar #Australia
The Australian Senate unanimously passed the Australian version of the Magnitsky Bill, which can sanction human rights violators and hackers

The #AustralianSenate unanimously passed the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and other Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021.

This bill empowers the Australian government to sanction #HumanRights violators, corrupted officials, and hackers by the entry prohibition and freezing of assets.

#MarisePayne, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, states that they have to ensure the evildoers not to gain benefit from a democratic free world.

In the past, in addition to the mandatory #UnitedNations sanctions, #Australia will also follow its own diplomatic policy through Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Bill 2011.

As the bill uses “country” as a unit for sanction, the sanctions are distinct.

A human rights organization, #HumanRightsWatch, criticizes the current sanctions are “vague and non-permanent” and does not need the Australian government to examine human rights considerations.

The Australian Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defence and Trade Committee issued a report at the end of last year discussing whether Australia should establish the Magnitsky Bill.

Payne indicated in August this year that Australia would strengthen the laws of sanctions by empowering the government to impose economic sanctions and travel bans on individuals or entities that cause the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, major human rights violations, malicious network activities, and serious corruption. The bill is no longer setting up separate sanction plans on a national basis.

Source: Stand News #Dec02

https://bit.ly/3ebfCNB

#Australia #Sanction #HumanRights #Democracy
Australia will not send officials to Beijing Winter Olympics
Prime Minister said the approach is in the national interest


Australia announced that they would not send government officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic after the United States, due to human rights issues in China. However, Australian athletes will continue to participate in the games.

Scott Morrison, the Australian Prime Minister, indicated in view of the deterioration in relations with China in recent years, Australia’s participation in the diplomatic boycott is “no surprise”. He stated the approach is in the national interest and is the right measure.

Morrison said the decision was based on the human rights issues in Xinjiang China, and other issues that Australians has been expressing.

Source: Stand News #Dec08

#Australia #China #Xinjiang #WinterOlympics #HumanRights #BeijingOlympics #ScottMorrison
Foreign media: Kosovo diplomatically boycotts Beijing Winter Olympics

Following the #UnitedStates, #Australia, #Britain, #Canada and other countries, foreign media said #Kosovo also expressed support for the US diplomatic boycott of the #Beijing #WinterOlympics and joined the boycott on Thursday.

According to the report from Alast, Kosovo President #VjosaOsmani supports the US decision on diplomatically boycotting #China, and she joined the boycott due to China's violation of #HumanRights.

Even though the Kosovo delegation will resist all official ceremonies and events during the Beijing Winter Olympics, the athletes will still participate in the game.

Source: Stand News #Dec10
#Arrest #PoliticalOppression
An Australian-Chinese dual citizen was accused of violating National Security Law
HK authorities : No obligation to grant consular visitation to dual nationals


Source: Radio France Asia; #Feb8

#PrimaryElection #Primaries #Legcopetition #Australia #SecurityBureau #GorgonNg #NgChingHang

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Arrest #PoliticalOppression
An Australian-Chinese dual citizen was accused of violating National Security Law
HK authorities : No obligation to grant consular visitation to dual nationals


On February 8, Australian Broadcast Company (#ABC) quoted the federal government that an Australian-Chinese man was charged under the National security law (#NSL).

Although the authorities did not reveal his identity, a spokesperson at Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (#DFAT) indicated that the defendant was arrested on Jan 6, 2021, for "conspiring to subvert state power".

He was released on bail the next day but was then re-arrested on March 1 when attending court, and charged with "subversion".

With reference to the date of arrest and the accusation, the man is said to be one of the #47Democrats, Gordon Ng (#吳政亨).

Yet, ABC cannot confirm whether the defendant mentioned by DFAT is Gordon Ng.

DFAT has also revealed that Australian officials have been repeatedly refused consular access to the man, because Hong Kong authorities no longer recognise dual citizenship.

"The Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong was notified by Hong Kong authorities of the arrest of a dual Australian-Chinese citizen under its National Security Law in January 2021," a DFAT spokesperson said.

The report continued that the Hong Kong Security Bureau declined to provide any further details about the prosecution, saying that it could not comment on individual cases; and that the Hong Kong government was not obliged to grant consular visitation rights to dual nationals.

ps. Gordon Ng is the founder of Legcopetition, a voluntary group for primaries. He is also known as "#Liberal (#李伯盧)" on social media platforms.

#PrimaryElection #Primaries #Legcopetition #Australia #SecurityBureau #GorgonNg #NgChingHang

Source: Radio France Asia; #Feb8
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/hk-aus-02082022055359.html
Scott Morrison's WeChat account suspected of being hacked, MPs call for boycott over election interference

Australian media reported on Monday (24th January) that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's WeChat official account was suspected of being hacked and turned into a pro-Beijing account “Aohua Xinshenghuo (Australian Chinese New Life)”. His WeChat team has been unable to log in since the beginning of the year. Its 76,000 followers were notified to quit following old accounts. Some parliamentarians believe this is China's interference in Australia's internal affairs in an election year, and call on Australian politicians to boycott WeChat.

The abnormality of Morrison's WeChat public account was first reported by The Daily Telegraph. It was pointed out that earlier this month, Morrison's official WeChat account had been renamed “Aohua Xinshenghuo” and his profile picture had been changed. The account description was now "providing life information for overseas Chinese in Australia".

Source: RFA #Jan24

https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/au-wechat-01242022053954.html

#Australia #AustralianPM #ScottMorrison #WeChat #hacking #ChinaInterference #boycott #AustralianElection #OverseasChinese
Australian intelligence uncovers and blocks Chinese funding of election candidate through businessman

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (#ABC) reported on Friday (11th February) that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had discovered the close ties between an Australian businessman and China, funding a pro-Beijing Labor Party candidate in this year's federal election.

The report cited an Australian security source that China's intelligence service was working through an Australian businessman to fund members of the Australian largest opposition party, the Labor Party, for the New South Wales constituency in the May parliamentary election. China promised to increase China's influence in the Australian parliament if elected.

But the plan was seen and blocked by Australia's official security intelligence organization.

Source: RFA #Feb11

https://www.facebook.com/454004001340790/posts/6972357259505399/

#Australia
#ChinaInterference
#MoneyDiplomacy
#WolfWarriorsDiplomacy
#ABCAustralia
#ASIO
#LaborParty
#NewSouthWales
Australia requests an investigation and an explanation on a Chinese warship irradiating an Australian patrol aircraft with a laser

On #Feb17, a Chinese navy warship used laser irradiating an Australian royal air force patrol at the north of mainland #Australia.

Australian PM, #ScottMorrison, said that Australia requested a full investigation into the incident through diplomatic methods. He also asked China to explain why "a professional defence force" can do such a dangerous act.

Hw tod the press on #Feb21, "This is completely unacceptable to have such an act. As a result, we requested to have an investigation on the warship behaviour... It is very unprofessional for a mature navy to have these dangerous and reckless acts, so we hope China to provide us with an answer."

However, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, #WangWenbin, replied the accusation is not true and claimed the Chinese warship was "sailing normally", "complying with relevant international law".

#NavyWarship #RoyalAirForcePatrol

Source: SBS #Feb22

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/scott-morrison-demands-full-investigation-into-chinese-laser-incident?cid=alc:soc:bau:con:SBSChineseTelegram::na
#China and #Solomon Islands Draft Secret #SecurityPact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific

//A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.

The agreement, kept secret until now, was shared online Thursday night by opponents of the deal and verified as legitimate by the Australian government...

it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.

“This is deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners,” Charles Edel, the inaugural Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Friday.

“The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealand’s security, increase the chances of local corruption and heighten the chances of resource exploitation.”

The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”//

Read the full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/china-solomon-islands-security-pact.html

Source: New York Times #Mar24

#Security #InternationalRelations #FiveEyes #Australia #Defense #Pacific #WW2
Solomon Islands and China to sign security agreement, Australia, New Zealand worry about stability in region

At a glance:

- Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has said publicly that a security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed, and has texted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the development. Sogavare also said that Morrison’s criticism of the country's agreement with China is 'very insulting'.

- Australia's High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Lachie Strahan, said on a social media site that Australia was concerned about a security cooperation agreement to be signed between the Solomon Islands and China

- The agreement is seen as potentially leading to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, asked rhetorically, “Who is building the militarised cabal that will bring the risk of nuclear proliferation to the Pacific?”

-Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare said the country's security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed.
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have expressed concern about a possible security cooperation agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, which could lead to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Pacific Islands Region.

Source: SBS Australia #Mar29

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/as-concerns-grow-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-here-s-how-it-could-impact-the-pacific-region

#AsiaPacific #PacificIslandsRegion #Oceania #China #SolomonIslands #Australia #ChineseForeignMinistry #WangWenbin #ManassehSogavare #ScottMorrison #Chinesemilitarybase #securitycooperationagreement
Chinese property developer in Melbourne reportedly deported from Australia for 'endangering national security'

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have confirmed that the federal government has accused Chinese millionaire #ZhengJieFu of carrying out missions for Chinese intelligence agencies and secretly promoting Beijing's interests.

Zheng has been deported from Australia in 2021, making him one of the most recent Australian residents to be deported by the federal government for allegedly having close ties to Chinese state security or foreign interventionist agencies.

Unidentified sources told reporters that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (#ASIO) had accused Zheng of foreign interference in Australia on behalf of the Chinese government, claiming that he had offered cash to a student in Australia to pressure the father of a human rights activist who was already in Chinese custody. However, Zheng has previously denied the allegations.

ASIO alleges that Zheng had "repeatedly" contacted a suspected Chinese spy on mission in Australia while he was in the country.

Source: SBS Australia #Apr5

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/millionaire-chinese-property-developer-quietly-expelled-for-harming-security-interests

#Australia #Melbourne #China #ZhengJiefu #Chineseintelligenceagencies #Chineseinfluence #Chinesespy #Australianationalsecurity #ASIO
Drew Pavlou arrested for holding an anti-Xi Jinping slogan in the street, after being harassed by Chinese people

Source: hkladyliberty

#DrewPavlou #Sydney #Australia #OverseasChinesecommunity #CCPinfluence #RedGuard

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Drew Pavlou arrested for holding an anti-Xi Jinping slogan in the street, after being harassed by Chinese people

Drew Pavlou, an Australian who has publicly supported Hong Kong many times in the past, spoke up again today (7 May) against Xi Jinping, holding up signs with the words "FREE TIBET" and "FREE HONG KONG" in a peaceful protest on the streets of Eastwood, a local Chinese community in Sydney. Drew was surrounded and harassed by several Chinese people.

The local police were called to the scene and arrested Drew for holding an unauthorised demonstration, taking him away in a police car.

Drew was released on bail after being held for five hours, and was charged with one count of disobeying a police direction and was brought to court on 25 May. He was released on bail on the condition that he would not be allowed within a one-kilometre radius of Eastwood. He was also attacked by more than 50 Chinese people, including Cantonese speakers, who turned up at a similar event on the streets of Sydney a few days ago.

Drew Pavlou, 22, has been known since 2019 for his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party's human rights issues in Xinjiang and Tibet and his support for the anti-China movement in Hong Kong. He is currently running for a seat in the Queensland Federal Senate in 2022.

Source: hkladyliberty
https://www.facebook.com/LadyLibertyHongKong/posts/772343404152095

#DrewPavlou #Sydney #Australia #OverseasChinesecommunity #CCPinfluence #RedGuard
China’s grand tour: Opposition mounts to Beijing ‘expansionism’ in Pacific

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has accused Beijing of unnecessary expansion of its security reach, as MPs urge her to counter the superpower's "persuasion and pressure".

And Australia's new foreign minister has flown urgently to Fiji in a last-ditch bid to dissuade Pacific Island nations from signing up to a new Chinese security pact.

Source: Newsroom #May28

https://t.co/3VnQ9NVrT9

#China #Australia #NewZealand #Honiara #Pacific
#China fighter jet intercepts Australian plane - Canberra

// #Australia has accused the pilot of a Chinese fighter jet of carrying out a dangerous manoeuvre near one of its aircraft over the South China Sea.

It says the Chinese aircraft released flares and cut in front of the Australian surveillance plane.

The Chinese jet then released "chaff" - an anti-radar device which includes small pieces of aluminium which entered the Australian plane's engine.

Beijing claims most of the region as its own territory.

But the US, neighbouring countries and others, including Australia, dispute its claim.

In February, Australia accused a Chinese navy ship of shining a military grade laser towards one of its warplanes over the Arafura Sea off northern Australia.

Source: BBC #Jun4

Read the full article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61696973

#Beijing #WolfWarrior #Jet #AirSpace
Chinese ambassador #XiaoQian interrupted by multiple protesters during speech at University of Technology Sydney

//China's ambassador Xiao Qian has echoed calls for "concrete action" to "reset" the relationship with Australia in a speech that was repeatedly disrupted by a series of coordinated protests.

But several protesters interjected during Mr Xiao's address. 

One described Mr Xiao as a "representative of a dictatorship" and accused the Chinese government of committing genocide against the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

He was ushered out by security guards.

One man was asked to leave the venue prior to the event because he was dressed in a Cultural Revolution-era military costume that security described as "confronting".

Another protester held a sign reading "Free Tibet", and other stood up and declared they were a Uyghur and not a terrorist. 

Yet another was escorted out after standing up and criticising China's censorship, saying people in Hong Kong and Tibet were unable to express their views freely...

Professor James Laurenceson, director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, asked Mr Xiao a number of questions that were provided to the embassy before the event.

He asked Mr Xiao if he could provide any hope for the families of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, or for Uyghurs in Australia who have been unable to contact loved ones in Xinjiang for years. 

"With all my respect for you… I do disagree with you," Mr Xiao said. 

"Freedom of speech is different from absolute freedom. In this world, there's no such thing as absolute freedom. Freedom is freedom within rule of law.

"These are individual cases and the relevant authorities are dealing with these cases according to Chinese rules or regulations.

"So long as they respect the rules and laws, there's no reason for them to worry," the Chinese ambassador said.//

Source: ABC #Jun23

#InternationalRelations #Australia #ChineseAmbassador